Research Printers Before Purchase

Tuesday, December 03, 2013

When purchasing a printer, business owners and consumers may be overwhelmed with the multitude of options available. Currently, major printer brands are manufacturing more than 350 printer models at a time. Cartridge World’s team of home and office printing pros can make the buying decision easier by matching customers with printers that fit their needs.

Before purchasing a printer, customers should seriously consider what functions the printer needs to perform. From there, Cartridge World can determine a printer model that meets those needs without costing a fortune upfront or in the future on ink and toner cartridges. Below is a list of common printer types to help narrow the search.

Single-function inkjet printers: If color printing is important, inkjet printers often are the smartest choice. These printers can be inexpensive; however, the cost for replacement ink varies widely by model.

Single-function laser printers: Laser printers are usually a good fit for a small but bustling office that prints mostly text and business graphics. They print documents quickly, have larger paper trays than inkjets and use toner instead of ink, which can save money.

Multi-function printers: In addition to printing, multi-function (or all-in-one) printers offer additional features such as copying, scanning or faxing. Both inkjet and laser printers are available as multi-function models. The printers can save space, which may be beneficial in a home or small office. Larger business-sized multi-function printers provide additional business-friendly features. These printers use affordable consumables that save businesses money.

Photo printers: Dedicated photo printers are a type of inkjet printer designed to produce high-quality photos in a variety of sizes, often larger than the standard 8.5-by-11 inch size.

“With dozens of brands and models to choose from, it’s difficult to make a good decision on a printer without doing homework,” said Tom McLaughlin, Cartridge World marketing director. “The last place you want to begin your search is at an office superstore. They are only interested in selling the brands and models on their shelf, and they seldom discuss the ongoing costs for ink and toner.”

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